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Sorry Mr Outofit , I don't quite share THAT view with you! BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Well lets just build one without a tail then shall we??? If it is possible to rip the whole ass end off a caravan with a premmie then you can pretty much be assured that it is possible in most aircraft. Yeah , a tailgate would be nice as would a CASA over here but we are not all living in the US of A now are we? BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

The XL will do 14k easily as do the older Cresco's and Fletchers. I don't think the tail will be a problem as I have not heard about close calls or similar with what is in use at the moment here in Australia. If it is a little close then like the Navajo jumpers will have to be wary. This sort of aircraft is suited well to Australia as we do not have the jumpers required to have King Airs or Otters at a lot of dz's like in the US for instance , and with fewer jumpers it can still go up and not lose money. BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

1) Doing a really bad low hook turn heading straight towards the ground knowing I was going to hit VERY hard. My f..k up - no life flashing before my eyes just the thought "well you have really done it now!!." Hit the ground hard enough to bounce back up in the air at least 10 feet. Thought for sure that at least both legs were broken but after 15-20 mins walked away. Still can't believe I got away with that sort of stuff up. (Certainly learned from it!!!) 2) The hanging incident with a Tandem Skydive. We were under the plane for a good four minutes and I honestly thought we were dead. We had two options and I felt totally helpless at the time trying to convey to the pilot what to do. I do remember thinking clearly that if I did not die then I wanted it to be quick when the time comes. It was a feeling I will never forget!!! BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

You are one of the rare low time jumpers who actually listen to others. I don't know everything and I will be the first to say that , however I have stuffed up royally and lived (fortunately!) to tell the tale. If someone else chooses to ignore all advice and do their own thing then that is more than fine. They can - 1. Get a plane 2. Get a pilot to fly for them 3. Find a location to jump from. In the meantime they are hurting more than just themselves if they stuff up. The C.I and everyone around them suffers in more than one way if they get a ride in an ambulance. I am feeling like an old fart when I say these things but I am sick of the attitude with some of the newish jumpers these days who are ready to run before they can walk with the newer and better technology available. Just my personal rant. Take it as you will anyone who reads this! BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

It is not just the cost of the aircraft but the ongoing costs such as the powerplant , airframe , 100 hourlys etc etc. This aircraft is one of the better ones if going by the paper stats for the overall costs for the XL is anything to go by. One is being delivered to a dz South of where I am and I think it will do just fine there in the long term. I went there after a change of ownership some time ago and the new owners are dedicated skydivers and you can tell the same by the look of the place! BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Geez you are gorgeous!! But beware! Some of the best looking girls are often the ugliest!! (ON THE INSIDE!!) BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

1. CAR 2. FORK LIFT 3. AEROPLANE (PRIVATE PILOT'S LICENCE) 4. THE EX WIFE CRAZY 5. GO CART 6. PARIS HOOT BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

I would like to bet a carton on the overall number of jumpers in the world that are regulars. I think your estimate is a little off although I would not at all be surprised by the cypres figure. I know plenty of lifers who have never owned one. Personally I have nearly been killed by an RSL before I was allowed to remove it!! (Nothing like a hell spinning main and cutaway with a lot of height (Doing early camera) ending up with a reserve with 10 line twists in it! BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Yeah that about sums it up................. Nice to see that the flag is the right way up in your pic BTW ha ha - heard about a certain GK jump when that happened! BSBD -Mark. PS- A stand up landing to me is one where one does not fall on ones ass at any stage. One is allowed to run walk or do whatever else it takes to achieve this goal. Have I said ONE enough!?? ;) "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Here is a pic for anyone out there too lazy to look for the site lol!! BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

*** Student that was complaining about the slider being down and how they were trying to pump the brakes and make it go back up? Same student about chopped since the slider was making weird noises. I had a student like that once also. He landed ok and then said something like "Jeez I am glad that the canopy landed ok , the slider would not go UP!" We sat down and I had a rather long debrief including why the slider is there and what its purpose is , this being in addition to the training already given him on the same thing before his jump. I met the same guy out of the blue about six months later and you guessed it..........complained of having the same trouble at another dz when he decided to go on another jump just for the hell of it. I then explained to him for the THIRD TIME........ "Some people really should take up lawn bowls......" -A quote from the 62 yr old VERY experienced CI I sometimes work with!!!!!! BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Ah Mikkey!! An "N" boy hey?? HA HA!! The airframe is a well proven more skydiver friendly base and from all reports I hear it is going to be rather cool. You and I know there are other aircraft of similar characteristics from the older design , one operating in your state even now just a little closer to the southern waters lol! I think the new version will be ultra cool and even though the hype may override the initial expectations of some I am sure it will live up to its rep. Just like when I saw the Let 410 for the first time , as a pilot I thought nice machine and strong looking!! It has not disappointed!! Hope to be down there for the Easter fun! Say hi to D+L for me! BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

VERY true regarding what if you were forced to give up jumping for a while or longer as in what would you do if skydiving was your be all and end all hobby. Kinda starting to get that way with me at the moment but I do have a few things out there still other than jumping that I like doing. "If you truly love something it will return to your favour and prescence with time." BSBD - Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

We need more females in the sport!! I like it because it is a rare activity where the girls can still kick the guys asses as it involves skill not strength ha ha !!! BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Jump numbers mean little if someone does stupid things. "Stupid is as stupid does" I have heard from some sources more than once! BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Ultralights can be a fun cheaper way of getting into the air I must admit. I am the holder of a Private Pilots licence which I obtained before learning what fun it was to jump out of them as well. Funny thing was that my CFI thought I was a bigger crazy person than my parents! BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Having said that and maybe having it repeated in the wrong fashion if you are a student I would pull straight away. If you are with instructors or in an orderly group still on student status or newly off that then you should be exiting the plane in a manner that would not be dangerous given a higher pull altitude anyway. BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

If you are by yourself I would pull at what I thought was the right altitude but a little higher because of concerns re other jumpers after myself. I am very rarely jumping by myself these days so would gauge the dump by what others did. PS- An alti IS a mechanical device so your eyes are the best instrument but mine is +10 years old and still works without skipping a beat. GO BARIGO!!! BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

It's days like those you learn to love skydiving all over again!!!!!!!!!!! Me I am just trying to get to the USA for those crazy ass things!! BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Much like GAY used to mean HAPPY and NOT the other version............ "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

With Tandems I have a definite 1 2 3 philosophy with the video. I try to get the pre freefall footage into around four mins with the briefing, aircraft ride and scenery. This makes song number 1) fairly easy as you want something to start off slow to get the mood of the "beginning." The ol number 2's are the mongrels as they are the hardest for the freefall part of the video. You need something that takes little time to get pacy from the beginning and keeps the pace throughout the freefall at least. I use songs like "Slave to the grind - Skidrow" "You could be Mine" "FunkyTown - (rather old but good for the freefall!!)" "Don't change - INXS" "Dogs are talking - Angel city (The Angels)" and a lot of others. The let down or under canopy stuff can be the same as song 1) much less pacy but still with rythm like "Bitter sweet symphony" "Times like these" "unwell" "Bad Craziness - D.A.D" "catch - Kosheen" The variety is endless! Have fun! BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

I have done it now for the last year and a bit. You certainly will not get rich from it but I look at it this way.........Work your ass off for the next 40 years in a job that gives you the shits and be poor for 10-20 years before you die or live life to the full and go to work and love it for 40 years and still be poor for 10 years that you can't jump. Thats IF you are really bad at saving and or finances!! I lost unhappiness and inprisonment when as a tradesman I told my boss he could get stuffed!!! You do have to be in the right place at the right time though and here in Australia there are only a handfull of places where you can work as a fulltime jumper and pay the bills. Never thought it would happen to me but then I have been told from more than one source NEVER SAY NEVER!! BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

IT CERTAINLY IS!!! ..........Then there was the 10 way with all different experience levels I did at sunset one day with a shite spot and when I landed off in a field realised that everyone else had followed me!!! Needless to say that the field was covered in pine trees 5-6 foot high in rows and the ground was very uneven. It is something we all look back on and laugh about even today. I can still see myself on video yelling out "Pine trees!!!" "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

I have nearly been killed by an RSL because at the time it was a mandatory piece of safety equipment to have whilst you are jumping. I have never had an AAD and in the time I have been jumping due to licence levels etc I have never been required to wear one either. However rules are there for a reason and I have personally seen at least one Cypres save from a person with a similar attitude to the girl you are talking about. I do not agree with RSL's but think up to a certain licence level a Cypres should be mandatory as the APF is bringing into being in Australia. From my short 11 years jumping I have found that there are two things that kill jumpers , these are inexperience and complacency. This is not a sport that is forgiving much like flying also. Too many of my friends (more than jumping!) have been killed trying to get home in weather they should not have been flying in and breaking the very rules that were made and put into practise to keep them alive. I have once flown and nearly been caught up in the same circumstance. We have stopped many newbie jumpers hurting themselves by jumping a canopy that is well above their ability but they have easily found another DZ that will let them jump it. So be it , and some of these jumpers I have been good friends with. You can only do as much as you can , tell them the pros and cons of what they are doing and if they still jump elsewhere then you are out of options. I have turned into Mr Shithead by not letting ex students do what they feel like on more than one jump and telling the CI on the rare times he misses them doing something they should not. Maybe they will say thanks in the long run , maybe not. I would rather them hate me and still be around to say so. Thats the nature of the beast. As for the experienced jumpers or reasonably current - put yourself in the shoes of the person who is the DZSO, it is not an easy job but things would surely turn to hell rather quickly without them there. BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"